Smoke and Mirror
by R.A.Rodgers
Summary: Because what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas


_**smoke and mirror **- Where, after watching The Limey's promo, I just can't resist._

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><p>It worked.<p>

He took the plane, he stayed in a fancy five-stars hotel, he got drunk like he haven't since high school, he spent thousands in every casino down the Las Vegas Boulevard. In two days he slept with two times that number of women, and didn't even felt guilty for their wiliness. In that place no one cared about what was done, or the consequences of it. Castle did everything he didn't felt comfortable doing for the past three years, and it was paradise.

He completely forgot about her, and in the haze of his blind joy, his way back was even better. The Ferrari and the blond he met in the way back - with which he shared some of his happiness in the airplane bathroom - made the perfect ending scene to the show. The smile melting in Beckett's lips made him feel better than he'd later like to admit. He loved how she missed him, how she realized that he was distant, pulling away from her even more, forgetting coffees and ignoring calls.

But what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas, and his good moments were short-lived.

Now, he was noticing every single details about her, like the way a loose stream of her hair fell on her bare shoulders, framing her face with delicacy. Her smooth skin was glimmering, and combined with her dazzling smile, it gave her an air of luxuriating elegance. The black dress accentuated her curves, skirted her breasts and covered her fine legs so much he could only get a glimpse of her heels. He'd never seen her looking so good. The dark velvet turned her into the night sky. Dangerous, inviting, shinny, a never-ending riddle. He could be standing there, looking her for eternity, but what he truly wanted was to reach the starts. She was a walking mystery. She whispered "come and play".

Castle felt her lips in his, unhesitating. His tongue twisted in hers, fierce, fast, hungry, recklessly exploring her mouth like he knew it was the last time. It was bittersweet, thrilling. He could taste her like she was truly there. He wanted to merge in that kiss, be a part of it. He was trapped, addicted in that elation.

When she turned around, Richard didn't saw her walking away. His mind held it's grip on her figure. His hands flew to her naked back, playing with the possibilities in the edge of the fabric, teasing her skin and tricking her senses. She smiled in his lips and he changed the target, making her moan softly by nibbling her ears, taking her earrings off with his tongue. He sucked into her earlobes, going behind it, then, to the skin near her hairline.

Beckett exhaled a faint, sweet, scent of cherries that would be forever in his memory, his imagination, haunting him, tempting him, making him urge to run his mouth down her neck only to feel her pulse. He could feel it. Hot blood under his lips, under her feverish skin. She burned in desire when his teeth grazed her collarbone, moaning a little louder; he tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling it back, and they both hit the wall. It was the spell she casted on him long ago. He would never get enough of her.

Her own lips met his ear and he failed to hear the air leaving her lungs. She was completely breathless, drown in the promises that his hands made when going along her body without touching it. Five of her fingers scratched the base of his neck, the other five tangled in his hair and she said "Take it off, Richard. Please, take it off". He wanted to hear her begging a little more, feel her heart pound under his lips a little more. When Kate made the sweet mistake of rising one of her legs to his, exposing her skin, he couldn't resist to place his hands in her tights possessively.

"Go on" she whispered. He started to go a little further, drawing his head down just enough to keep her wanting more."C'mom, take the damn dress off, Castle."

His hand was already touching her underwear, and he finally obeyed her. In his terms. While he pulled the zipper down, undressing her, his head went down to between her breasts, torturing her. Castle's lips met the scar made a couple of months before, and that added something to his lusty need for her. He kissed that spot gently, taking his time on remembering how painful that was for both of them.

But Beckett wasn't up for tenderness. She bit his ear strong enough to hurt him a little.

"Did I say you could stop?"

The hand that was in his neck slipped to the buttons on his shirt, creating a space that was just too much. Even their clothes seemed to keep them apart more than she wanted. Kate ripped his shirt open in desperation to fell him and he finished uncovering the upper part of her body.

He rose his head to kiss her mouth again and the gap between them was closed. Her chest was in his, skin to skin like he never thought it would happen, and he pressed her even more agains the cold bricks.

He was ready to finish his job, taking her dress off completely, when she pushed him, with a smirk.

"It's not going to be that easy, you know...?"

"It's not?" He asked. His fingers found it's way to the tip of her breasts. She bit her lower lip and her hands reached for his pants' zipper. "What?"

"To for-"

"Dude..." He blinked, and it was all gone. Esposito was pocking him, with a worried look. "Castle, are you okay?"

"You're..." Apparently, Ryan was there too. "You're drooling, man. Get yourself together."

He was still dizzy, trying to understand what happened. She wasn't there, she never was. His mind was pranking him with his own, deepest desires. Everything was a product of his fertile imaginations, fake as a circus act of illusionism.

She saw Beckett walk into the elevator and her eyes were silently telling him what the Beckett from his dreams tried to say.

It was not going to be easy to forget her.


End file.
